One last grasp

      Since most of the summer was spent waiting for my Hunq to get back from the powdercoater,  I decided to make a local trip to end the season.  It was planned  a three nighter to the Yankee Springs area.  It's great having a forest like that nearby.  It's about a 40 mile ride north to the campground on a familiar escape route from the city.

      The campground was sparsely populated with a few late season campers and hunters.  I just wanted to get out and ride the Hunq after being deprived of wandering for months.

      I had built the Hunq with Rene Herse tires this time around since people I respect rave about them.  On the first S240 a few weeks ago I found they work beautifully on pavement.  This trip gave me a chance to sample other surfaces.  I picked the Snoqualmie Pass tires from their pricey palette.  Snoqualmie Pass translates into 44/622 in English.  It's best suited for pavement and gravel riding.  The Bike Snob has said that riding Rene Herse tires is like "having your scranus massaged by God."  I was a bit skeptical, but he's from Brooklyn, who knows their values?  I'd be happy with a lesser deity fondling me.  They are excellent on pavement.  With the bike loaded I filled them with 60 lbs of pressure (10 more than I would choose unloaded).  I have to say they are the best touring tires I have ridden.  They are light and roll fast on a fully loaded bike.

      I woke up in a room with a beautiful view.  Camping is always a pleasure, the temps were cool, getting into the 30's at night.   During the night I awoke for a while and listened to the owls conversing.   There was one very near calling "hoo, hoo, hoo--hoo, hoo" immediately I heard a distant  "hoo, hoo, hoo--hoo, hoo" in reply.  The nearer replied  "hoo, hoo, hoo--hoo, hoo" the distant one replied again.  They engaged in this conversation for 20 minutes before a third from another distance chimed in with "hoo, hoo--hoo."  The first two replied as they had.  The conversation continued for a few exchanges before disappearing all together.  What exactly were they discussing.  To what party did they go?  

      The next day provided a few hours wandering the infamous gravel of the Barry Roubaix through the forest.  The gravel was fairly well packed and the tires were excellent.  Even on the looser gravel the bike was sure footed and rode smoothly.

      I decided to jump onto the North Country Trail.  After a few hundred yards I knew the minimalist tread would not cut it.  The sand was thick, wet, covered with leaves and cobbled by horses.  I enjoyed the rest of the afternoon on gravel until I  wound my way  to Hastings where I stopped to buy food.  On the way back to camp I made a stop at Yankee Bill's Wood Fired Saloon for a couple beers and one of their excellent pizzas.

      I was whipped that evening and after a couple more beers and dinner, slept without hearing a symphony of owls.  In the morning I took the bike out for a spin on the MTB trails.  The tires worked well.  They even powered through the sandy washouts without incident.  I'm nobody's hero on the trails but escaped without putting a foot down. 

       I decided to cut the trip short since a cold rain was predicted for the night and following morning.   The ride back to town was without incident except for a puncture a few miles from home.  The rear tire felt spongy,  I stopped, shot some CO2 into it, gave it a spin and the Flat Attack tubes did their thing, sealed it up and I rode away happily.  

    The tires were great although heavier tread would be better for the MTB trails and necessary for the foot/horse trail.   Are they worth IT?  It's a tough call.  I can't compare them to much but the Gravel King slicks I'm using on my Sam Hillborne.  They are both made by Panaracer, the tread very similar, the sidewall on the Herse tires is more supple and provides a better ride.  The 43mm Gravel Kings are priced around $60 while the Snoqualmie Pass are $75.  I could swallow the $15 bucks I guess.  On the other hand, the choice for the Hillborne will  be more difficult.  35mm Gravel Kings are $38 versus $75 for the Herse equivalent.  That will be a hard decision.  They are great tires, but I did not feel I was sitting on the face of Venus.  Oh well, even the Stones can't always get what they want.